


Bedside Manners

by FicinaFlash



Series: Wild Iris and The Bear [1]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Crying, F/M, Friendship/Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-04
Updated: 2016-02-04
Packaged: 2018-05-18 06:04:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 711
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5901133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FicinaFlash/pseuds/FicinaFlash
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Wally and Joe weren't the only ones to visit Iris in the hospital that day. Here is a guess at what ended up on the cutting room floor for "Fast Lane".</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bedside Manners

Groggily, Iris felt warm fingers slip between hers. It was the first sensation she felt over the ruthless throbbing in her shoulder. She didn't need the spark this time to know that it was Barry. It just seemed about time that he was here. Trusting her reporter instincts, she pushed her eyes open against the weariness and affects of the drugs. 

Her eyes fluttered open to see his hand around hers. She licked her dry lips, and squeezed back. 

"Iris, oh. I'm so sorry. You're gunna be okay, alright? You're safe now."  
His voice was a pained whisper as he sunk down into the chair by her bedside and placed their linked fingers against his forehead in supplication. 

"Bear, I'm alive because of you. As far as I'm concerned, you saved me."

Her words had the opposite of the intended affect, unfortunately. She could feel his body trembling around a sob caught in his throat. 

Thirst crippled a true response, and it's not like Barry was ready to listen just yet, anyway. She brushed backs of her fingers idly across his forehead while she eyed the room for water bottles. Ah, just out of reach on her night stand. 

"Bear?"

"I know, Iris. But it's my job to protect you -" 

"No, but, Bear I'm-" 

"A woman, and after last year I've learned my lesson, I promise! It's just that-" 

"Thirsty! Help!" 

That was enough to snap teary Barry Allen eyes her way. Before she could blink she had an uncapped water bottle in her hands, and Barry was back in the chair. 

She nursed the water down, relishing the first few sips. As soon as she was done she capped it tightly and set it near her pillow for later. She held her arms out for Barry to lay his head somewhat in her lap. The bed was tall and Barry was lanky, but they made it work so that he could hide his tears in the blankets above her legs and she could run her fingers through his hair to sooth him. 

"Ahhh, Care Bear. I forgive you, because you saved me. I love you, because you always try for me, Barry Allen. You always try for Central City. Each try means something, even when it doesn't go as planned. I'm proud of you, okay? You were so good for me, today." 

He was red to the tips of his ears, but it looked like the tears had eased by the end of her short speech. 

Little did she know that her nails had caught his scalp when she said he had been 'good for her' and now not all of his embarrassment had to do with crying in her hospital room. Every time he thought about giving up on his love for Iris there was something like this...

Peeking up into her face only confirmed the feelings swirling around formlessly in his being. It had been a while since he caught her without makeup and suddenly he couldn't think of a time when she was more safe, and alive and beautiful. He was home, he was grounded; he was with Iris. 

"Sorry to make you give the pep talk. You're the one in the hospital bed, and all."

She laughed, much easier now that she'd drank some water. 

"Well, you get hurt every other week and you still do all sorts of things. No more apologizing! You know I love pep talks, anyway." 

Suddenly, they could hear Cisco's boom box laugh coming from down the hall. Quickly, Barry pulled himself off of her bed and scooted his chair back to the acceptable distance it was in when he's arrived. 

Iris looked into Barry's eyes and felt flickers of disappointment, unaware that Barry felt the same. 

"We aren't done, okay? I miss just talking with you, about everything." 

His face was unreadable; there were so many bits of different emotions skating across his lips and forehead and his eyes. Before he could respond, Joe and Cisco and Caitlin were standing in the doorway, bearing gifts. 

All in all, Iris figured it was a good thing she was still here. She had a feeling that she was right where she needed to be for something big to happen. Any day, now.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, hoped you enjoyed it! I do plan on updating my other fics, and I plan to sometime in the future. Real life has been more complicated than trying to explain the season one finale of The Flash to someone not into comics. Let alone explaining Earth-2! So thank you for your time and patience. I hope the Westallen feels help get you through your day.


End file.
